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Legislation Follow-Up: Governor Brown's Vetoes

Last week, we posted a summary of some of the most debated bills that Governor Brown signed into law. This week, we are taking a look at the bills the Governor vetoed. Below are highlights of the bills that did not make the cut.

AB 1081: Known as the “TRUST Act,” this bill was expected to make California the “anti-Arizona” on immigration. Under the bill, local law enforcement agencies would have been required to release certain undocumented immigrants based on the severity of their criminal record, even if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had requested that they be held. Governor Brown’s veto message is accessible through his website: here.

AB 1270: This bill would have given reporters expansive access to interview convicts on camera. While reporters may currently interview inmates under specified conditions, this bill would have restricted wardens’ authority to disallow interviews unless they posed “an immediate and direct threat.” Governor Brown vetoed the bill, explaining that it gave “too much.” gov.ca.gov

SB 1160: Under this bill, cellular networks would have been required to follow similar procedures to landline service providers, in that authorities would have needed a court order if they wanted to shut off cellular access (except in extreme cases). Privacy advocates have denounced the Governor’s decision to veto the bill, while the Governor wrote in his veto message that the legislature and law enforcement agencies should work together to present a new bill “that balances protection of speech with the ability of law enforcement to utilize this tool in the protection of public health and safety.” Further discussion of this issue is available at govtech.com.

SB 1476: USD’s Children’s Advocacy Institute (CAI) co-sponsored this bill, which would have allowed for judges to recognize more than two parents for a child. Although the bill was vetoed, many expect that a revised version will become law in the years to come. For more information on this bill and others affecting children, visit the following page through the CAI here.

AB 2623: This bill would have allowed on-duty officers at state hospitals to carry firearms, according to policies set by the Department of State Hospitals, by January 2014. The bill was highly controversial because of competing views of how best to protect patients and officers. Ultimately, Governor Brown concluded that such a policy is “best left to the discretion of the department director who already has authority to arm its officers.” Read more at the fresnobee.com.